Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The government is bringing forward more than 8 million of the six-year flood defence programme announced in December to better protect more than 3,000 homes from flooding sooner than planned in the West Midlands.
4 brand new schemes have been given the green light as part of the long-term investment programme and work will start on another 25 flood defence projects earlier than previously announced.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said:
What todays announcement means is greater peace of mind for thousands of people who are at risk from flooding across the West Midlands.
Work will begin on 25 flood defence projects sooner than originally planned. This is another example of infrastructure funded by the UK Government as part of our long-term economic plan.
Key projects across the West Midlands include:
- The River Bourn Flood Alleviation Scheme has been brought forward by five years. It will help to protect against the risk of flooding from the River Rea to around 370 homes.
- The scheme at St Johns Brook in Warwick has been brought forward by 4 years and will protect more than 350 households in the area.
- The Marchington Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme - which is new into the programme - will provide improved protection to around 30 homes from flooding from the River Dove and will start development in 2016/17.
The government is bringing forward more than 140 million of the 2.3 billion six-year flood defence programme announced in December to better protect more than 31,000 homes and businesses from flooding sooner than planned.
47 brand new schemes have been given the green light as part of the long-term investment programme and work will start on another 165 flood defence projects earlier than previously announced.
The 6 year programme represents a real terms increase in expenditure and will reduce flood risk across the country by 5%.
230,000 homes have been better protected from the risk of flooding and coastal erosion so far this Parliament.
Environment Agency Chairman Sir Philip Dilley said:
This programme of more than 1,500 flood risk management schemes will significantly reduce flood risk to more than 300,000 properties in England by 2021, benefiting people, the economy and the environment. Government funding has also been brought forward meaning that over 30,000 properties will benefit from reduced flood risk earlier than originally planned.
Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding from government and local partners, but of course the risk of flooding can never be entirely eliminated. With one in six homes in England at risk of flooding, I encourage people to check their flood risk and sign up to the Environment Agencys free flood warning service.
Notes to Editors
Please visit here for further information on the schemes.
Picture caption:
Construction of the 3.5million Fazeley section of the 11.5 million Lower Tame flood scheme, which protects more than 2,000 residential properties along the River Tame in the West Midlands. The scheme was completed in 2014.